A darkling beetle crawled onto Sitamun’s shoulder and Karim reached over to brush it away. She twitched and snorted softly but did not wake. Leaning over, he pulled the edge of the blanketcloser around her and tucked it under her chin, making sure not to dislodge the yellow chrysanthemum from her hair as he did.
He hadn’t intended to be so candid when they’d stopped by the canal. After all, they just met, and she was Khetaran—one of the most powerful women in the land. Like the pharaoh himself, royals like Princess Sitamun represented everything he hated about the river kingdom.
And yet, he’d been drawn to her. It was as if the same invisible rope that pulled him toward buried treasure pulled him to Sitamun. It was why he’d opened up to her. Why he’d pulled out the map to study, knowing she’d notice, knowing she’d want to see it for herself.
Sitamun was headstrong and imperious—but she was also witty and intelligent. Whatever her life might have been like in the palace, she still had the ability to appreciate the simpler things. A hot meal. Wildflowers. And it must have taken no small amount of courage to leave the palace behind and set out on her own with nothing but a waterskin and a dagger to her name.
She’d been awfully candid with him too. They had both made mistakes that led to the deaths of innocent people. And they were both searching for a way to make it right. Karim had thought that maybe they were supposed to conduct that search together, but perhaps that was wishful thinking. His path led to Perset, and hers to Bubas and beyond. Perhaps the oracle only intended for them to meet and give each other aid—as he had done with Raetawy and Nefermaat—before parting ways once more.
He sighed, annoyed that in the end, he wasn’t all that different from the dog. He liked the princess, and selfishly, he didn’t want her to go.
“Well,” he murmured to Behkai, giving him a gentle pat on the rump. “At least I’ll still have you, boy.”
Behkai opened his eyes, then sat up with a start. At first,Karim thought that his touch had startled the dog out of sleep, but Behkai saw Karim sitting beside him and still didn’t relax. His eyes were fixed on the ridge above them, ears perked, body rigid.
“What is it?” Karim squinted at the ridge but saw only darkness. “What do you see?”
A growl bubbled up from deep in Behkai’s throat. Karim held his breath, listening over the crackling fire.
There was nothing.
Karim closed his eyes, shutting out every sense except sound.
Still, nothing.
And then—
A soft rustle. The shifting of rough fabric. Feet moving through sand.
Moving quickly, Karim kicked sand over the fire until there was nothing left but embers. Shushing Behkai, he crouched over Sita, shaking her gently by the shoulders.
She woke with a violent snort and blinked up at him, bleary-eyed.
“Is it my turn already?”
Karim put a finger to his lips. He pointed to the top of the ridge and then tilted his head toward a shallow cave dug out of the wall of the valley. He hoped his message was clear.Keep quiet and go hide.
Sitamun understood. With a frightened look, she rose from her makeshift bed and slipped into the cave.
Karim rubbed the black dog’s sleek neck and bent to whisper in his ear. “You too, boy. Keep her safe, hey?”
The dog hesitated, seemingly unwilling to leave his master’s side—but Karim gave him a pat and a nudge, and Behkai followed Sitamun, disappearing into the shadows.
Karim turned back to the ridge, wondering what could be coming their way. Surely the crown prince’s men wouldn’t be searching at this time of night—but he supposed it was possible. Maybe theywere travelers or tribesmen like him, looking for a place to make camp for the night. His hand went to the dagger in his belt.
Karim watched and waited. The valley was cloaked in a darker shadow than the desert above it. Perhaps the traveler would pass by without even noticing him.
The shuffling footsteps drew closer.
A prickle of dread crept up Karim’s spine. Instinct warned him there was something wrong with the sound. It was too quiet. Such a strenuous march through the desert would cause anyone to breathe heavily, to falter, to struggle.
But there was no breath, no faltering. There were only the footsteps, as steady as a heartbeat and as persistent as a curse.
No, Karim thought as the possibility arose in his mind.It can’t be.
The crown of a head appeared over the ridge. It was hairless and glowed white in the moonlight.
Karim stood transfixed as the figure revealed itself, little by little, one step at a time.
